Teak

Tectona grandis

Teak has been used here in an attractive panel door.

Teak is known for its lovely golden brown color, although, when freshly machined, it can sometimes have a variable pattern. Over time, and with exposure to sun and air, the streaks mellow into the signature golden brown appearance for which teak is so prized.

Vertical grain teak is highly sought after for boat decking applications because of its consistent appearance, strength, and ease of matching across a wider surface. J. Gibson McIlvain only buys FEQ (First European Quality) teak lumber with consistent color and grain patterns.

FEQ teak lumber is extremely durable and stable. Teak has a very high naturally occurring silica content from the sandy soil in which it grows, and this silica impregnates the fibers of the wood, making it nearly waterproof. The silica content is much lower in plantation-grown Teak; as a result, we at McIlvain only purchase old growth Teak sourced from Southeast Asia. Adding to Teak’s natural water resistance are the wood’s natural oils, which do double duty as natural insect repellants.

Teak will show many colors when freshly milled but with air and sun exposure turns a lovely golden brown.

Once milled, Teak holds its shape extremely well, and that stability makes it such an attractive wood for yacht builders, as well as other builders whose materials must perform under harsh conditions and within tight tolerances.

Sourcing and Legality

J. Gibson McIlvain is one of the largest suppliers of old growth FEQ Teak in the country. As direct importers we have built relationships with mills and exporters that stretch back centuries that allow us to keep in close touch with the forestry practices and evolving political situation in Myanmar. It is very important to us to know where our Teak comes from and how it was harvested for sustainability reasons, but also to comply with government regulations. The relationship between the US and Myanmar is a confusing one and it is imperative we stay on top of it to ensure we are importing lumber legally to protect our customers who buy from us. We currently operate under an IWPA license that allows for legal importation direct from Myanmar.

Through our direct relationship we can carry a variety of sizes and thicknesses to suit our customers’ needs. We carry many unusual sizes, including very wide (24″+) and very long (20’+) lumber to specifically serve the boating industry.

If you have questions regarding whether Teak would be appropriate for your next project, call us today at (800) 638-9100 to speak with one of our lumber sales representatives.

More Information on Teak

We have written a great deal about Teak on our company blog. Some of the highlights can be found below or click here for the complete list of articles.

Teak Specifications

Character

Green

Dry

Units

Bending Strength

10975

13710

psi

Crushing Strength

836

1087

psi

Max Crushing Strength

5543

7065

psi

Static Bending

5802

7453

psi

Impact Strength

34

26

inches

Stiffness

1408

1543

1000 psi

Work to Maximum Load

13

12

in-lbs/in3

Hardness (Janka)

-

1000

lbs

Shearing Strength

-

1890

psi

Toughness

-

232

in-lbs

Specific Gravity

0.53

0.59

-

Weight

51

40

lbs/ft3

Density

-

40

lbs/ft3

Radial Shrinkage

-

3

%

Tangential Shrinkage

-

6

%

Volumetric Shrinkage

-

7

%

Teak Application Gallery

Teak Sources

We have formed long standing relationships with mills in Asia, and we purchase from them only the finest quality Teak.

Teak from Burma and New Guinea have distinct characteristics that separates it from some of the plantation grown species. FEQ (First European Quality) Teak has consistent vertical grain and a uniform honey brown color.

We visit our partner mills each year to verify the quality of their lumber to ensure only the best wood makes it to our yard.

One of the things than can be very difficult when working with wood is the range of colors you find within a single species. What makes it even more difficult is that all woods will change color throu[...] Continue

Effective July of 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has granted a license to import wood directly from the Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE). This license[...] Continue

As the log bans and export regulation changes in Myanmar continue to confuse the Teak market, there is a strong positive for home builders who use Teak that could make a lot of previously difficult-to[...] Read more »

The Teak market has been all abuzz about the the trade sanctions being lifted against Myanmar. Being able to buy “genuine” Teak direct could be very good for the market. The realities we a[...] Read more »

With the trade embargo lifted on Myanmar, Teak lumber buying is set to get very confusing very quickly with many new suppliers entering the market. It is still unclear whether this will lower the barrier to entry for those looking to get into the Teak game, but it is a safe bet that with the Myanm[...] Read more »

The Myanmar government has announced that they will ban timber exports starting in April of 2014. The official reasons for the ban are due to an increase in deforestation in Myanmar, which has reduced the country’s forested land from 57% in the 1960s to 24% in 2008. There is some debate as[...] Read more »